The Lonely Princess
Synopsis Now that Mihoshi and Kiyone have been transferred to Pluto, the Masaki house seems emptier than ever, and Ayeka cannot help feeling that the gang's separation is an indication that something terrible is on its way. Desperate to allay her fears for the future, Ayeka does her best to get everyone back together again- but will the others be interested in a reunion? Full Recap Tenchi may be enjoying himself with Sakuya these days, but back at the Masaki house, the mood is quite different. With Washu locked in her lab, and the other girls having left, Ayeka and Sasami are the only ones around the house, and things seem very lonely to the two princesses. Ayeka in particular is bothered by the absence of the others, and her worries even touch her dreams, where she sees her friends all turned to stone. A triumphant Yugi is floating above them, and in short order she turns Ayeka to stone as well. Awakening from her dream, a restless Ayeka wanders out to the lake, where Tsugaru is waiting. He refuses to answer her questions about his identity and motivations, only saying that he works for someone else, and that perhaps Ayeka's nightmare was more than just a dream. The next morning, Ayeka decides that she has had enough. Having the whole gang split up this abruptly is unacceptable, so the Juraian princess decides that it is up to her to get them all back together again. With Mihoshi and Kiyone so far away, and Ryoko's whereabouts unknown, Ayeka selects Washu as her first target. In an attempt to get the genius out of her lab, Ayeka tries to force open the door using mallets, drills, and even Azaka and Kamidake's Total Annihilation beam! Unfortunately, the door remains firmly sealed, and inside, Washu is so focussed on her work that she doesn't even notice what is going on! Undeterred by this failure, Ayeka continues with her self-appointed task, this time turning her attention to Mihoshi and Kiyone. She decides to use Ryo-Ohki to travel to their new precinct in the Pluto area, but before she can get there, she is pulled over for speeding! As luck would have it, the officers who pull her over are none other than Mihoshi and Kiyone, but it seems clear that the old camaraderie between them all is gone. For whilst Mihoshi wouldn't mind going back to Earth, Kiyone has heart set on career advancement- she isn't about to head back to a remote planet when she could be earning prestige catching the galaxy's latest Ultra Class A wanted criminal- Ryoko. As Mihoshi and Kiyone return to their patrol ship, Ayeka realises there is nothing more she can do, and sadly returns homes. Still depressed, she decides to phone Tenchi in Tokyo, hoping that she can communicate her feelings to him, and perhaps persuade him to come home. However, when Ayeka tries to explain about the gang drifting apart, Tenchi doesn't seem concerned- after all, what is so strange about Ryoko going off by herself, Washu spending days in the lab, or Mihoshi and Kiyone getting a new GP assignment? After telling Ayeka not to worry, Tenchi goes to hang up the phone, only to be stopped by a plea from Ayeka. There is one more thing she wants to say to him, and, after some hesitation, she finally manages to go ahead and express the depth of her feelings for Tenchi. When Tenchi admits that he likes her too, Ayeka wonders if there is still hope, and as Tenchi finds himself distracted by a visit from Sakuya, she puts down the phone, filled with a renewed determination to get everyone back together again. Watching her, Yugi and Tsugaru are amused by Ayeka's efforts- for even after all her efforts, everyone is finally drifting apart, and soon their respective courses might take them out of reach of each other forever… Category:Tenchi In Tokyo